The question on everyone’s lips for 2010 has been, “what ever happened with that lemon tart?” Well, perhaps not everyone’s lips – most likely the question remains merely in my head, but I’d like to offer an update regardless.

On the Sunday before last, I finally had the opportunity to bake the tarts for the restaurant. Like a culinary Field of Dreams, I made them and the customers bought. Even Big D and his girlfriend finished their night with one – and this couple is not the type to indulge in culinary naughtiness. Last Sunday, a few of the servers asked me if I would be making them again. Poco de Chile says they’re too labor intensive, but Big D wants to put them on the menu permanently. They are slightly labor intensive, but not too bad if I’m allowed to focus on making them. I’m tired of pushing the tarts with Poco and Big D. They have the recipe and the next step is theirs. For me, they were a small triumph – my first recipe for public consumption.

Big D also wanted to add a biscotti and vin santo pairing to the dessert menu. The other night, I made a trio of biscotti – apricot/white chocolate, cherry/walnut/dark chocolate and milk chocolate/orange. We gave a few samples to the customers and the feedback was positive. Big D approved of my presentation and flavor. I finished them late on Sunday so we didn’t have a chance to sell them that night. I’m curious if they’re selling this week.

He’s asked me to create a Valentine’s Day dessert. I’m honored to be asked. I’m playing with ideas in my head, but I already have a clear image of what I want to try: A thin dark chocolate genoise on the bottom, a layer of raspberry filling, a light chocolate mousse, another layer of genoise and raspberry, chocolate ganache on top with fresh raspberries. I’m pleased with the overall concept, but I feel like it’s missing something – a little surprise inside, like a hazelnut layer or another surprising flavorful pop besides chocolate and raspberry. Whoever my testers are, I think they’ll be happy with the assignment.

Now that I’ve given the restaurant a taste of my talent (literally – I give samples), it seems the gum chomping servers are a little nicer these days.